The DART services are expected to end in Highland Park this month after the election results are canvassed. Service will continue in Addison and University Park.
HIGHLAND PARK, Texas — Voters decided DART, which provides public transit to parts of Dallas County, will continue to be offered in Addison and University Park, while residents in Highland Park voted to end the transportation services.
Those services will cease in Highland Park following the canvassing of election results this month.
The elections were prompted by a movement among DART member cities that started when Plano announced its intentions to pull its tax contributions from the transit alliance. Plano, and other member cities, including Addison, Highland Park and University Park, argued that its residents are not receiving the benefits of the money its putting into DART.
Plano, Farmers Branch and Irving initially set similar elections for DART membership but canceled them after renegotiating their agreements with the agency.
“The future of North Texas will be shaped by the cities that choose to move forward with DART,” Randall Bryant, chair of the DART board of directors, said in a press release. “We are focused on expanding this system with partners who recognize that transit drives economic growth, connects people to opportunity and strengthens communities.”
Here’s what happens next:
- First, city councils must canvass or accept the election results. No changes will be implemented until this happens.
- Highland Park is set to canvass results at a special council meeting on May 13. Services in the city will end the following day, according to DART.
- Impacted services include bus routes, GoLink service, paratransit, and park-and-ride facilities located within Highland Park.
- Buses will continue to operate through Highland Park, but will not stop within city limits.
Aside from announcing unofficial results, the municipalities have not yet released statements on maintaining or losing DART services. However, University Park officials held a similar election last year when voters decided to maintain the town’s membership in DART and put out a press release about the results.
In that release, the town officials said DART’s annual budget was about $1.7 billion, with the town required to allocate 1% of its local sales tax to the transportation agency. That amounts to about $8 million annually.
The town has contributed more than $114 million since joining the transportation system in 1983, according the press release.
For more Election Day results, go here.